Machine for making wire strands, ropes, and cables



Sept. 15, 1931. E. A. CONNER MACHINE FOR MAKING WIRE STRANDS ROPES, AND CABLES Original Filed Jan. 12, 1927 4 I INVENTOR [award/i [owner Patented Sept. 15,1931

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWARD A. CONNEB, OF STRATFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CABLE COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE MACHINE FOR MAKING- WIRE STRANDS, ROPES, AND CABLES Original application filed January 12, 1927, Serial No. 160,571. Divided and this application filed December 10, 1927. Serial No. 239,186. Renewed February 14, 1931.

This invention relates to the manufacture of wire strand, rope or cable, and more particularly to the formation of an article of this class in which a helical conformation is imparted to the several components preparatory to laying the components in the strand, rope or cable, so that the article produced will have inert lay characteristics, i. e., will be free from tendency to separation of the components when the strand, rope or cable is cut, and will also be free from tendency to kink, the components of such an inert lay article preserving throughout the life of the article a compact formation which increases its working life and insures the desirable qualities of flexibility and smooth running when in operation upon the drums or grooved ulleys conventionally employed in connection with elevators and in other installations where power is to be transmitted by the strand, rope or cable.

For the sake of brevity in description, the product will be hereinafter referred to as strand but it is to be understood that this expression is used inclusively to designate not only strand in the technical sense of an' article composed of several wires, but also to designate a rope composed of several strands or a cable composed of several ropes each having a plurality of component strands.

An important object of the invention is to provide a machine for carryinginto cfl'cct an improved process of imparting to the strand components a helical conformation preparatory to laying them to constitute the complete strand, rope or cable, by subjecting the components to the action of preforming devices which are given a rotary movement for the purpose of forming the components helically, the rotativc movement of the preforming devices also serving preferably to feed the components severally with a rotative movement around the axes of the helices thus formed, and preferably also acting to lay the helical components simultaneously in proper relative position to form the completed strand, rope or cable having the inert lay charactcristicsto which reference has already been made.

The aforesaid process forms the subject of my co-pending application Ser. No. 160,- 571, from which the present application has been divided, and the machine of my present application is organized to carry the aforesaid rocess into effect in such a manner as to orm continuously inert-lay strand rope or cable automatically and economically for commercial use.

These and other objects of the invention are illustrated and described full in the accompanying drawings and specification and are pointed out in the claims, with particular reference to a now preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in vertical section of a preforming head adapted to carry the process into effect.

Fig. 2 is a detail view in side elevation, 70 partly in section, of one of the preforming 4 devices.

Fig. 3 shows a modified form of preforming device.

In the embodiment illustrated, the apparatus comprises a preforming head, designated generally by the reference character A, which is adapted to form part of an organized machine for making stranded wire structure such as that shown in m aforesaid application Ser. No. 160,571, and when so embodied and equipped with the preforming devices herein illustrated and described, imparts the desired helical conformation to strand components 1, derived from suitable supply reels (not shown), the performing head delivering the helically formed components to any suitable closing means from which the completed strand, rope or cable proceeds to a suitable drawingofl' means.

In the instance selected for illustration and description, six of the components 1 are being preformed simultaneousl and laid about a core 3 which is derive from a suitable supply, not shown, the core being led through a hollow rotatable spindle 11 actuated from a suitable source of power not shown.

In pursuance of the invention, the pre- 100 adapted forming head A is provided with a series of preforming devices 58 each adapted to 0perate upon a strand component 1, and these devices are desirably mounted in spaced relation around the main axis of the apparatus, represented by the core 3, and are to be rotated individually each about its own axis, while-each revolves about the core 3. Any suitable structure may be provided to effect these movements of r0- tation and revolution, and as a convenient form of construction for this purpose, a hollow shaft 11 is shown, having fixed thereon a plate 20 in which are bearings to receive the shafts59 of the preforming devices 58. Y

To provide for rotation of the devices 58, each about its own axis, the shafts 59 are provided with spur-gears 25, and these gears mesh with pinions 27 upon shafts 28 also mounted in bearings at 29 in a hub 22 mounted on shaft 11 at the rear of plate 20, these shafts 28 being situated between the spur gears 25, and the shafts 28 are furnished with gears 30 adapted to mesh with an interior ring gear 31, the latter being supported by a ring 32, mounted on a suitable standard (not shown) being held in place by brackets 34 through which extend set-screws 35. Other set-screws 33 serve to prevent accidental displacement of the ring gear 31 from its supporting ring 32 when removed from the supporting standard, but permit removal of the ring gear readily when it is desired to inspect the hub or change the gears.

By providing a ring gear 31 and spur gears 30 of proper ratio,-any desired speed of rotation of the devices 58 relatively to their speed of revolution about the shaft 11 may be provided for, and it will be understood readily from the above description that when the shaft 11 rotates, the gears 30 track or run around with the fixed rin 31, turning the shafts 28 and pinions 2 which act to turn the spur gears 25, shafts 59 and preforming devices 58, in unison.

The rotatable preforming devices 58 may be ofany construction suitable to effect the desirable helical conformation of the strand components 1, and in the instance illustrated in Fig. 2, each device'58 comprises a frame mounted upon a short shaft 59, and each strand component is led through a set of rolls 56 mounted as shown, the wire passing under the first and third of the series and over the intervening roll in the manner shown, so that the rolls revolve around the component as the frame is rotated. The wire when it issues from the forward end of the device shown in Fig. 1 has the desired helical preformation which adapts it to be laid into a stranded wire structure having inert lay characteristics.

'The modification shown in Fig. 3 comprises a rotatable frame 64 having a hollow shaft or shank 65 corresponding to the shank or short shaft 59 of the device illustrated in Fig.2, the frame being provided with two sets'of rolls 62 and 63 respectively, between which the wire 71 to.be preformed is extended after passing through the hollow shaft 65. The wire is then subjected to the action of a roll 67 mounted in. a fork 68 carried'by an adjustable screw 69 extending from a lug 70 upon the forward end of the frame, the roll 67 being situated out of alignment with the rolls .62 and 63, being arranged at one side of the straight path in which the wire passes through the two sets of rolls 62 and 63, and when the frame is rotated by the action of the planetary gearing hereinbefore described, the rolls are revolved around the components 71 and a helical formation is thereby imparted to the wire 71, it being understood that ,the same structure is adapted to operate upon wire strand or rope as well as upon individual wires.

I claim:

l. A preforming device for a wire-stranding machine, of the type in which each component of a strand, rope or cable is preformed to the helical shape which it possesses in the completed structure, said device comprising a frame adapted to be supported rotatably, and provided with a plurality of rolls mounted in series along the path of a component wire, strand, rope or cable, said series of rolls including a roll adapted to bend the component out of the path in which the component passes between adjacent rolls of the series and co-operating therewith to bend the wire into helical form upon relative rotation between said frame and component as the latter is fed through the series of rolls, and means to rotate said frame to revolve said rolls around said component.

2. A preforming device for a wire-stranding machine, of the type in which each component of a strand, rope or cable ispreformed to the helical shape which it possesses in the completed structure, said device comprising a frame adapted to-be supported rotatably, and provided with a plurality of rolls mounted in series along the path of a component wire, strand, rope or cable, said series of rolls including a roll situated out of alignment with adjacent rolls of the series and co-operating therewith to bend the wire into helical form upon relativerotation between said frame and wire as the latter is fed tl rough the series of rolls, said frame having a hollow shaft adapted to be connected and disconnected readily with the operating instrumentalities of said machine, and through which shaft said component is led to said frame.

\ 3. A preforming device for wire-strand 'ing machines, of the type in which each component of a strand, rope or cable is preformed to the helical shape which it possesses in the completed structure, said device comprising a frame adapted to be supported rotatably, and provided with guiding means through which said component may be fed in a substantially straight path, and a forming device situated at one side of said straight path and adapted to revolve around said component and bend it into helical form upon relative rotation between said frame and wire component as the latter is fed through the frame and emerges from said guiding means.

4:. A preforming device for wire-stranding machines, of the type in which each component of a strand, rope or cable is preformed to the helical shape which it possesses in the completed structure, said device comprising a frame adapted to be supported rotatably, and provided with a plurality of rolls mounted in series along the path of a component wire, strand, rope or cable, said series of rolls including a plurality of couples of rolls through which said component wire may be fed in a substantially straight path, and a forming roll situated at one side of said straight path and adapted to revolve around said component and bend it into helical form upon relative rotation between said frame and wire component as the latter is fed through the frame.

5. A preforming device for wire-stranding machines, of the type in which each component of a strand, rope or cable is preformed to the helical shape which it possesses in the completed structure, said device comprising a frame adapted to be supported rotatably, and provided with a plurality of rolls mounted in series along thepath of a component wire, strand, rope or cable, said series of rolls including a plurality of couples of rolls through which said component wire may be fed in a substantially straight path, and a forming roll situated at one side of said straight path and ada ted to revolve around said component an bend it into helical form upon relative rotation between said frame and wire component as thelatter is fed through the frame, and emerges from said couples.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

EDWARD A. CONN 

